Ipod Shuffle Challenge
by Artzielady94
Summary: Ten random songs. Ten random stories. Beginings, endings, romance, and a splash of smut. Hope you enjoy!
1. Teenage Dream

Setting: Chantry. Alistair pre-wardens.

Teenage Dream - Boyce Avenue Cover

"Let you rest your head on me, if thats what you need."

He had been sent to muck the stables as punishment. Alistair didn't mind it. At least it took him far from those preachy sisters and their armor-clad pet Templars with their scowling faces and twitchy fingers, constantly reaching for the glowing blue vials that were tucked in their leather pouches. Seeing them was like seeing his future and he hated this constant reminder of the life that had been thrust upon him by a family who could care less about him. It seemed as if no one cared about him.

"What did you do his time, Alistair?" a twinkling, little voice giggled from across the barn. He looked up with a smirk, recognizing that voice. It was Sydney, a chantry-sister in the making and his only glimpse of sunlight in the dark hole of a life.

"Oh, you know, the usual. Humor, jokes, and a charmingly defiant attitude. Thing the people here consider a sin.," he joked, shoveling the horse muck for emphasis. He was glad when she smiled and leaned against the stable wall.

"I quite like all those things about you."

Her bright smile slowly faded into a frown.

"Alistair, you..." she started but stopped mid-sentence, covering her mouth shyly. He cocked and eyebrow and stopped shoveling.

"I, what? I.., like cheese? I don't like shoveling poo?" he teased her playfully. She shook her head and tried to find the words.

"You don't belong here," she blurted out. covering her lips again wide eyed. He looked at her for a long moment, his heart hurting more than usual. He didn't understand. She was his friend. One of his only friends… maybe more than a friend in his eyes but he must has been fooling himself. Just like everyone else in his life she didn't want him. He crinkled his brows and went back to shoveling.

"I know. I don't belong anywhere." he whispered bitterly. She gasped and ran to his side placing a hand on his stilling him.

"No, no, no! Alistair, that's not what I meant! I mean you're to good to be here. Your so kind and funny and wonderful. And I can't stand the idea of you becoming some lyrium-addicted chantry-lapdog."

He had stopped shoveling but did not look up at her for fear she would see his glassy eyes. She tilted his head up to meet her gaze before continuing,

"You are special, Alistair. I know the Maker has a much bigger plan for you. I'm sure of it."

Before he knew what he was doing, he wrapped his strong arms around her and rested his head on her shoulder.

"Thank you, Sydney. You don't know how much that means to me."

He pulled away a little and looked at her blushing cheeks and smiling lips.

"I… I… mean it…" she stuttered up at him blushing even deeper. He blushed in return and quickly moved his arms from around her. They were still standing so very close, and staring at each other, Alistair unconsciously wet his lips. He had never kissed a girl before but he had never wanted to as much as he did in that very moment. After swallowing back his nervousness, he leaned in slowly, giving her time to protest or stop him but to his surprise she only closed her eyes and waited for his mouth to find hers. Smiling a little, he placed a chaste kiss on her petal soft lips.

He barely had time to really enjoy it when the barn doors flew open and in walked an imposing figure. The man was dark, in every sense of the word. Dark hair, beard, and skin, cloaked in silver armor and blue cape that whipped around when breeze flew in from outside. He was terrifying and mesmerizing all at once. The Grand Cleric was behind him, nagging and preaching at him as if he were some common street urchin. The man smiled softly when he laid eyes on him.

"Alistair?" he asked, looking at him as if he already knew him, with a sort of awe and a smirk as if he was seeing someone else. Alistair raised his eyebrows and nodded. With a smile the man looked at Her Holiness and stated nonchalantly, "I hereby invoke the Right of Conscription. "

Alistair had no idea what that meant but he enjoyed the look the man was shooting his arch-nemesis. He almost chuckled out loud when the old woman shrieked and stomped her foot before storming away.

The older man settled his gaze on Alistair now and reached out his hand.

"Welcome to the Grey Wardens, Alistair Theirin."


	2. Always Depends

Setting: Awakenings. Anders/Warden/Alistair Romance.

Always Depends by Emery

"Don't bother now, you just said enough."

He told her the ice was too thin. But did she listen? No, never. Why would she listen to a mage when her noble self never listened to anyone. She even had the king wrapped around her pinky finger but he knew that was probably for another reason. Thinking of the two of them sparked something within him that he had been trying for months to ignore.

He shook his head and lit a fire outside his tent while Oghren dropped her shivering form inside. He pointed a finger at him and gruffed, "What are ya sittin' round for, mage, get to fixin' her!"

Fixing her. Yea. That was his job.

When the king would make his grand exit again, leaving her unknowingly shattered to pieces in his wake, he would fix her then, too. When she was so drunk she couldn't stand, when she needed someone to talk to, when the nightmares became to real... he was always there to fix her, covering up his own pain with a light-hearted joke or lurid compliment that never ceased to make her giggle.

He sighed and ducked inside the tent, instantly meeting the gaze of a shivering, huddled girl with an apologetic smirk on her face. He shook his head at her in annoyance but it all melted away with her smile and stammered words.

"S-ss-sorry, An-d-ders," she smirked a little with her chattering teeth.

He pursed his lips at her and came to sit in front of her, trying to keep an annoyed look on his face but failing miserably.

"You should be. Maybe one day, you'll actually listen to me instead of getting yourself hurt all the time," he said, his voice betraying a hint of what he really meant by those words but before she could reply he spat out an order.

"Take off your clothes."

She gaped at him, eyes wide.

"Wha-wa-what?" she stuttered. He nodded, pointing at her soaked garments.

"You heard me… off! They are wet and cold and I cant get you warm with them on. Take them off now," he said in a light but demanding tone. She scrunched her trembling lips and painstakingly began removing her shirt.

"Clo-close your eyes, p-p-pervert!" she yelled at him as he covered his eyes and handed her a warm blanket. She made a small noise when she was covered, allowing him to turn back and face her. He scooted very close and stuck his hands in the blankets, making a move towards her chest.

When she squealed indignantly and swatted his hands away, giving him a shocked scowl, he frowned and uttered an annoyed grunt.

"As much as I'm sure you'd enjoy my touch, this is strictly medical, my lady. Now... if you don't want to freeze..." he pointed to her chest that she had wrapped up securely with the blanket.

With a suspicious glance she nodded and watched as he slowly placed his hand over her heart. Her eyes shyly peered into his as his hand passed a warm golden light into her shivering chest. He smiled when she closed her eyes and sighed. It gave him great pleasure to give her comfort, even if it was just this way.

After he had pumped enough warmth through her chest, he moved his hands up to her shoulders and down her arms in a slow purposeful manner. As he reached her fingertips, worry creased his brow. Frowning, he began rubbing life back into her grey tinted fingers.

"Th-thank you," she whispered, her eyelids fluttering on her cheeks.

He hmphed a little noise and sparked more magic into his hands, trailing them down her legs to her frozen feet. She opened her heavy eyes and stilled his hands.

"Are you really that mad at me?" she asked with a concerned crinkle to her brows.

He blew out a mouth full of air and shook his head.

"I guess not. Just do me a favor and actually listen to me the next time I tell you something... I promise I only have your best interest in mind," he said, continuing to massage her feet gently.

She smiled and huffed, crossing her arms.

"Fine, fine. Tell me, oh sage one, what advice do you have for me?" she asked, her lips twisted into a sarcastic smirk.

Anders pressed his lips into a hard line and hummed thoughtfully as he made his way back up her body, checking to see if any spots were still cold. He ran his hands over her stomach first.

"Well, you could do more sit ups to tone this up a bit more," he joked, lightly slapping at her belly. She half smiled and smacked his arm but for some reason allowed his hands to stay. Chuckling, he slid his hands up her sides and to her still slightly cold hands. Pulling them close to his face he inspected them.

"And you could stop biting your nails. There are better ways to deal with stress..." he whispered with a wink.

She rolled her eyes and let her hand slip from his.

"Not all of us have such a luxury."

Her voice was playful but her face was sad and it made the next words come more easily to him.

"And you should move past your feelings for him."

His words hung in the air like a rain cloud, hovering over them and threatening to wash everything away. She cleared her throat and stopped looking at him but he continued.

"You know he will be married soon... and what are you going to do then? Be his mistress? His guilty pleasure?"

His voice was harsh even in his own ears and he wondered if it sounded as bad to her. He found his answer when he saw her jaw trembling but this time not from the cold.

"I just cant stand by and watch anymore... I had to say something… I..."

Her hand flew up in a motion for him to stop.

"That's enough advice for tonight, Anders... thank you and for once... I'll consider it," she choked out, still not looking at him.

He knew now wasn't the time but he had already said so much... so why stop now, especially when he had one more place to warm.

"Do me a favor and consider this as well," he whispered before cupping the side of her face gently and quickly capturing her mouth with his. With his eyes closed, he focused all his magic to his lips as he quickly and literally heated up their kiss. His warm hands stroked her cheek for a moment before letting her go and quickly moving out of the tent, not daring to look back.

When he opened the flap he was greeted by the suspicious eyes of his friends.

"Well, sparkle-fingers, ya fix 'er or do we have a warden popsicle in there?"

He smirked to himself.

"I think i made her warm enough."


	3. Siren's Song

Setting: Pre-Awakening. One of Anders' last escapes.

Sirens Song - Oh Sleeper

"Taste the wine of her lips,

feel free to taste this kiss

and drink deep

and forget the struggle in the battle you live."

This was insanity. Pure, unadulterated insanity but he couldn't stop unbuckling the sides of her breastplate. His fingers fumbled with each strap as she tangled her gloved hands in his hair and devoured his lips with needy, desperate kisses. He couldn't help but think of what brought this on.

There was endless flirting while he was in the tower, a couple of lurid comments and accidental touches. She had been the one to escort him to his room after every lashing, always tending to him afterwards and spending the night talking. He was surprised when she had been the one who volunteered to come after him this time. Maybe she was worried for him, maybe she thought to help him, maybe she thought he'd come back without a fight if it was her.

For now, he didn't care for the reason, all he cared about was how she tasted and felt pressed against him.

This felt good, entirely too good. She was like wine, strong and intoxicating. After finally getting her blasted armor off, he let his hands explore the skin under her sweat-soaked tunic. He groaned when she followed his lead, slid her hands under his tunic and pulled it over his head in one fluid movement, leaving his naked skin open to her, to her breathless, wet kisses. Her lips trailed from his neck, between his lean pecs, and created a fiery path of licks and bites down his abdomen, making him almost purr with pleasure.

He wasn't sure if it was that wonderful mouth of hers or the forbiddance of it all but this was complete, erotic bliss. He stopped her as she made her way to his beltline, pulling her braided hair back roughly. She hissed and moaned as she stared up at him with those delicious, want-clouded eyes. Anders growled a little as he pushed her back on the bed and stood above her with a devilish smirk playing on his lips. Quietly mumbling a chant, he raised his hands upward, casting a spell that allowed him to control her arms, pinning them above her head. She writhed under his gaze but he knew if she really wanted him to stop she could smite him right then and there. He took her whimpering noises and swaying hips as permission to move forward as he focused his magic to the tip of his middle finger making it smoke with heat. Her eyes widened with a mixture of excitement and fear as he splayed his hand over her chest, gently rubbing his finger down the center of her body, searing the fabric until it fell away from her perfect, bronzed skin.

Her bare chest rose and fell in labored pants as he allowed himself to devour the sight of her. She was a very pretty woman with her chocolate brown hair and her even darker chocolate-colored eyes. He climbed atop her slowly, taking great pleasure in the fact that he, a mage, was in complete control of a templar.

After what felt like hours, they were laying there utterly spent and hoping the other would break the silence. Suddenly, the peace induced by this chaotic union shattered asfear settled in his stomach.

She was a Templar, first and foremost and he knew she would bring him back. He couldn't go back.

Quickly he turned to place a kiss on her lips. He moved them open in a relaxing rhythm, coaxing her to let her guard down. She sighed, her body going limp in his arms and she made sweet, little noises, almost like a hum. He knew this might be his only chance so quickly and without thinking, he passed a spell from his lips to hers.

She gasped eyes wide, frozen, and paralyzed. He pulled away quickly, knowing the spell would only last long enough for him to get away.

Throwing on his clothes and grabbing his belongings he ran towards the door but then stopped and turned back, walking quickly to his frozen templars side and sealing her lips with a final goodbye-kiss.

"I am sorry, Rylock. But there is nothing I will ever desire more than freedom."


	4. Stay With Me

Setting: Awakenings. Anders/Warden/Alistair Romance *kind of liked this little head cannon. I may stay here a bit.*

Stay With Me - Wavorly

"Change direction, lax affection

Darling, what to do

Feelings last but for the moment

Often times can turn away the truth."

She looked up at him from her tear stained pillow. He was asleep and his slightly longer dark blonde hair was splayed across his sweaty forehead. She couldn't help but run her fingers through it gently, knowing it was probably the last time. She could see it now, he would run his fingers through his hair like he always did when he was frustrated. He would sigh, give her those puppy dog eyes, and try to convince her that this could work. That he loved her and he could never love someone else like he loved her. And as always, she would consider it, but this time, she would say no. She would shake her head and blink away tears that burned in her eyes like fire. He would fight back his own desperate tears and kiss her hands, say a thousand sorries, curse titles and his decisions. She would try her best to comfort him. She would stay strong even though her heart was shattering.

Eventually, he would give in and without a word of goodbye, he would leave. They had said goodbye so many times, it had lost its meaning. Goodbye just meant until I see you again, until I can hold you again, until I can make love to you again.

No. There would be finality in his wordless exit. No words could express the feeling anyway. He would leave this time for good. For both their good.

A tear rolled down her cheek as his honey-brown eyes fluttered open, gazing at her lovingly. She closed her eyes as his strong calloused hand trailed from her wet cheek to her lips.

"What is it, love?" he whispered.

She took a deep breath.

"Alistair...we need to talk..."


	5. Polyamorus

Setting: Awakenings. Anders/Warden/Alistair. After ending things with Alistair she turns to drinking… with Oghren.

Polyamorous - Breaking Benjamin

"I think your best side is your worst side."

The tavern was loud as Anders walked in but above the noise two voices could be heard clearly. The commander and Oghren's. He had wondered to himself why in the Maker's name she had chosen the dwarf as her new drinking buddy and his mind had only come up with two plausible answers. She trusted him and she knew that no matter how drunk she was... she would never, ever be inclined to sleep with him. He couldn't quite understand what they were screaming about until he actually got to the table. With a smirk, he leaned against the booth as she slammed what looked like her 7th empty tankard down.

"Es-perience, my arse, Oghren! I got more of that in my little finger than you have in your...um...little finger!" She made an obvious and insulting movement with her pinky finger that made Anders choke on his laughed. The dwarf shot him a look and bird before setting back on his target.

"Oh? Is that so? So the little pike twirler was lying when he said he was he first to taste your cherry?" he spat and Anders grimaced. The King a.k.a the pike twirler had left only two weeks ago and she had been intoxicated every other night since then. Ander readied a spell in case she decided to start a brawl but she reacted better than he thought by only huffing and sitting back down.

"I have more sexual prowessss than you will ever have," she slurred, motioning to the waitress for a refill.

"We'll see about that. Hey honey!" he asked the pretty bar maid. "Who would you rather forge the moaning statue with? Me or lady lips over there?"

The woman looked at the two of them confused before shrugging her shoulders, not really knowing what to say. And watched his commander arch an eyebrow and stood almost in slow motion.

She licked her lips.

"Well then, maybe this will help you decide," she purred, leaning in close to the girls face. Anders eyes shot wide as Oghren smirked and laughed lewdly. Before he really understood what was happening, he watched in awe as the commander viciously captured the lips of the young girl. He blinked his eyes rapidly, not believing what he was watching as she tangled her fingers in the barmaids hair and plundered her mouth with a vengeance. When she finally pulled away she licked the girls top lip playfully.

Oghren gruffed. "You call that a kiss... sodding cloudheads know nothin' bout kissin'."

Anders knew he was baiting her now and actually didn't mind it. It was probably the sexiest thing he had ever seen. Especially when the commander growled and grabbed the woman's backside lifting her up on the table, then proceeded to crawl on top of her. He was glad at that very moment to be wearing lose fitting robes as he nearly drooled over the situation before him. It wasn't long before he realized the whole tavern was becoming quiet apart from Oghren's gravely laughter. Anders dared to turn around to find every man watching the scene drooling Like a mabari in heat.

With a long sigh, he conceded to his conscience that was berating him about how she would certainly regret this in the morning and how mortified she would be if things proceeded. So with a groan he laid his head on the table and looked up at her.

"Umm… hey princess, lets get you to bed, huh?" he said as he would to a little girl.

She popped her head up from kissing the girl who was still too dumbstruck to move.

"Anderssh! Where have you been? I missh you." She slurred groping his shoulder for balance.

He chuckled and slowly lifted her off her folly.

"Uh huh i know… now what do you say I escort you to your room and you can tell me how much you've missed me and why you chose Oghren as a drinking buddy instead of me." he said, poking her ribs playfully.

She giggled and draped her arms around his shoulders. "Fine, fine, have your way sp-arkle fingers." She and Oghren laughed hysterically at her use of Oghren's special nick name for him.

Anders drew his free hand over his face rolling his eyes.

"And again, I ask: Why Oghren?"

The drunken dwarf belched and twirled his beard.

"Cause I'm the sexiest thing ever cut from the stone, right, boss?"

The woman in his arms spat unladylike and nearly fell to the floor in a fit of giggles. Anders shook his head hoisted her up, draping her arm over his shoulder again. She was incredibly cute when she was like this. Scratch that, cute little kitten one second, incredibly sexy hell cat the next and if he knew what was best for both of them he would keep his guard up.

She was incredibly touchy and lovey as he helped her down the hallway to her room. She nuzzled his neck while twirling a lose strand of his hair around her finger tip.

That and the nearly purring moans she made were driving him mad. He started chanting a mantra in his head willing himself to get her to her bed and run before he did something stupid.

When her moans turned to frustrated groans he looked down at her slightly confused.

"Are you going to be sick?" he asked, finally getting to her door.

She shook her head pitifully. "I'm hot..."

He laughed out loud at the irony of that and fumbled with her doorknob while trying to keep her nearly limp body propped against the wall.

She groaned again an began fumbling with her shirt.

"Maker's balls it's hot…" she mumbled but his attention was on the doorknob he couldn't turn with his sweaty palm.

With one final twist, the door finally swung open and he turned to help his drunken love interest inside only to notice she was now topless except for her breast band that was precariously draped across her sweat-glistening chest.

"Andraste's flaming knickerweasels, woman! Are you trying to kill me?!" he yelled at her, his frustration finally reaching its breaking point. He grabbed her around her slick waist and fought against the desire that was setting his loins ablaze. She laughed so hard she began to snort as he plopped her down on the bed.

"Knickerweasels?!" she squealed as if it was the funniest thing she had ever heard. She clutched her aching sides and nearly fell off the bed in her laughing fit. Anders grabbed her arm at the last second and jerked her closer to the center of he bed.

"Alright now, kitten. Time for you to go to sleep. I'll be back in the morning." He knew she would have a massive hangover and be in need of his magic touch. She frowned and reached for him like a pouting child.

"Kiss me good night?" she whined with a puckered lip.

He sighed and leaned down to kiss her on the forehead. She smelled so good despite the ale on her breath. He let his lips linger on her soft skin, getting lost for a moment. She moaned and slowly drew her fingers through his hair, pulling him down towards her slightly open mouth. He shivered at his achingly slow decent to her sweet lips. He took a deep shuttering breath as her bottom lip grazed his top lip.

"Maker, woman, you will be the death of me," he whispered breathlessly.

She smiled as her eye fluttered closed and she fell forward into his lap.

Anders couldn't help but chuckle exasperatedly as he lifted her head from his aching lower half and laid her back gently on the sheets. He cursed as he took one last look at her face. He never thought he would ever refuse to bed a beautiful woman... but he had and though his body was aching, his heart had never felt more at peace.


	6. Saltwater Room

7Setting: Awakenings post death of The Mother and attack on Vigil.

Saltwater Room-Owl City

"What will it take to make or break this hint of love?

We need time, only time.

Tell me darling do you wish we'd fall in love?

All the time, all the time."

When the battle in Amaranthine was over, she ordered the bodies of the darkspawn and of those who were killed to be burned in an abandoned field so that the taint could be better contained and purged. There were not as many casualties as she had originally thought but the sight of weeping loved ones made an icy fist clench around her heart. Her mind immediately flashed to a picture of herself weeping over Anders' lifeless body. She shook the image off and quickly found Nathaniel. She envied his almost cold detachment in these situations and his ability to carry out orders without emotional distraction. he was whispering over some of his fallen comrades who were ready to be burned. So she waited until he was finished before resting a hand on his shoulder.

"I'm leaving for the Keep... do you have this under control? I hate to leave, I just..."

He interrupted her with a single word of understanding.

"Go."

She gave him a curt nod and an appreciative pat on the back before nearly running to the first available horse.

It was less than a day before she reached the Keep. The signs of battle were slowly revealing themselves as she closed in. One body, two, a darkspawn corpse then a mass of corpses littering the open field in front of the massive stonewalls of her home. The smell of death and the hum of tainted blood almost assaulted her as she clutched at her rolling stomach. As she reached the gates she saw that someone else had the good sense to begin burning bodies. darkspawn corpses were piled and spat upon before being set ablaze while the human bodies were moved to another part of the field before being herald to the Makers side.

A mixture of pride and sadness filled her aching heart as she passed by battered soldiers tending to their brothers. Their selflessness made her feel shameful, because all she could think about was Anders. Was he safe? Was he in the pile of bodies still yet to be touched? Her last words to him were ringing in her head with an annoying, condemning clang.

"I just need a little more time..."

She had asked for time to come to grips with her feelings. To truly get over Alistair before attempting to tie her heart on someone else but what she hadn't realized was she was already completely and hopelessly in love with him. The possibility that she would never get the chance to tell him was tearing her already battered heart to pieces.

Her legs twitched nervously from atop her exhausted horse as she made her way closer to the doors of the main hall. She was greeted by a familiar face, bruised as it was.

"Sigrun!" she shouted, sliding from her horse and unceremoniously wrapping her in a tight hug. The dwarf reacted hesitantly at first but then squeezed her so tightly she thought her ribs may break.

"Thank the Ancestors, Commander! We all thought..."

"I'm ok..." she interrupted with a slightly impatient wave of her hand. Tears strangled her throat and burned her eyes as she desperately tried to hold her fear and worry in check, all this nervous energy and the knot in her guts that would only go away when she found out what happened to Anders. She looked into the dwarfs brown eyes for confirmation of her fears.

"Anders?" she whispered, heart thumping so loud and brutally against her ribs it almost hurt.

The only word she heard was infirmary before she ran through the front doors and into the main hall. She didn't even look around as she quickly flew up the stairs to the second floor. Upon reaching the door, she cursed herself for letting him stay. For having no other choice than to let he and Sigrun hold the fort while she handled things elsewhere. If she were here, maybe she could have done something... protected him. She bit back tears, preparing herself for whatever it was she would find. She slowly stepped into the room and looked over the bodies frantically. He wasn't there. Her body was trembling with anxiety and confusion until she heard a familiar voice at her back.

"Looking for someone?"

His gentile voice was music to her ears. She should be more startled but relief was flooding through her like a spring rain, washing away the fear that had been suffocating her. She quickly turned to face him and let out a breath she felt she had been holding since she left the city.

He Looked completely exhausted as he finished wiping his bloody hands on an already bloody towel. She could tell he has been doing a lot of healing. His normally peach tinted cheeks were pale and lifeless and his easy smile seemed a little forced but just as relieved as hers. His face and clothes were smeared with ash, blood, and gore but even so her fingers twitched to touch him. To make sure he was really there. That he was really safe and alive.

She wasn't sure how long she just stood there staring before he spoke again.

"Are you injured? " he asked, concern crinkling his brows. She knew she must look as frightening if not more so than him. She ran her hand over her bandaged side and shook her head quickly. If he knew she was injured he would pour whatever energy he had left out for her and she refused to let him stretch himself so thin.

"Nothing that cant be fixed. You?" she inquired with an awkward energy about her. He smiled softly and shook his head as well.

"Nothing that cant be fixed."

She smiled back but it did not quite touch her eyes.

"Good. Good. That's… good," she nodded, cursing herself for being so damned self-conscious when there was so much more she wanted to say. She wanted to tell him how she really felt, how much she wanted to kiss him, how desperate he made her feel, how his laugh was the best and sweetest sound she had ever heard. All she wanted to do was fly into his arms and hold him and tell him that she loved him. But the words were still so terrifying. What if he changed his mind? What if he rejected her? No. No… it would be too much to take right now. It would be better to wait... her heart couldn't take much more.

"Well… I… uhm… better be going then… I just wanted to check on you," she amended lamely quickly before making her way past him. "I'm glad you are alright."

The words sounded hollow compared to how she really felt when she saw his face.

"Is that really all you wanted to say?"

His impatient voice echoed down the stone hallway. She could hear the quick clicking of his shoes as he raced after her. She froze mid-step and bit down hard on her lip bracing herself for the worst.

"Come here," he ordered turning her to face him. Her eyes remained cast down, fearful of what she may see in his beautiful golden eyes. He shook his head and tilted her eyes up to his.

"I will never understand how you can look a broodmother and a talking darkspawn in the face and not flinch... but this makes you cower like a little girl. "

She frowned and slapped away his hand. "I am not cowering!" she argued. "I... I… just…."

He chuckled.

"Excuse me, a stammering little girl."

She punched his arm and growled.

"Your an ass," she huffed and he smiled impishly.

"And you love it," he gently joked, touching her cheek sweetly.

His gentle hand on her face became her undoing as her tears fell freely now. She had been entirely desperate for his touch for weeks and now here she was feeling his warm hands wiping away her tears. With a trembling jaw she finally let out a sob that had been choking her since she arrived. With a wail she wrapped her arms around his neck and violently cried Into his robes.

"I though id never see you again!" She choked between sobs. I thought I'd never get to tell you… that… that I..."

He tilted her head up and stroked her tear stained cheeks, searching her face with a hopeful and awestruck smile.

"Tell me what?" His voice was barley more than a whisper but held the weight of a shout. Through blurry eyes she looked at him.

"I love you," she whispered, shaking with nerves. New tears slipped down her cheeks as the flood gates broke.

"I love you, I love so much. Maker Anders, I thought I'd never get to say it. That… that I'd never see you again. I'm so… s-sorry and stupid. So stupid… forgive me… please…" she rambled and wept on his shoulder. "Say something. Please say something..."

He laughed and wiped her damp hair back from her face.

"If you'd give me a chance I would..." he said his fingers down her cheek to her lips and leaned in closer than a breath.

"I love you too... more and for longer than you know."

She smiled brightly through he tears and let out a relived and elated laugh before closing the distance between them with a deep desperate kiss. Her fingers tangled into his hair and pulled him closer.

"I love you." Kiss. "I love you." Kiss. "And I will tell you everyday from now on.."

He chuckled against her lips.

"I'm looking forward to it," he whispered and closed his mouth over hers again.


End file.
